Match: 1st T20
Venue: Providence | Date: April 30, 2010
Toss: Sri Lanka elected to bat
Result: New Zealand won by 2 wickets
Man of the match: N McCullum

In an thriller opener off ICC T20 World Cup, New Zealand defeated Sri Lanka by 2 wickets. Earlier Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first. Jayawardene and Dilshan started the innings for Sri Lanka. Jayawardene played a superb innings of 81 and helped Sri Lanka score 138/6 in 20 overs. All other Sri Lankan batsmen failed on the slow pitch but Jayawardene showed his class and played steadily to score his career-best Twenty20 score.

Chasing 139 to win, New Zealand got to the worst start possible with Angelo Mathews bowling a maiden wicket over. J Ryder and M Guptill then tried to stablise the innings and took the score past 50. Just when it looked the black caps are getting back on track, Muttiah Muralitharan got the wicket of Ryder. Soon Guptill also got out and Sri Lanka were back in the match. The match was balanced as any one could win but in the 17th over, Mendis got the wicket of Styris and it came as a blessing in disguise as Jacob Oram scored 15 runs off that over. The match was like a roller coaster as it swung from one side to another. New Zealand needed 20 off last 2 overs, Walegedera bowled Oram and then Gareth Hopkins was run out. The excitement was rising as New Zealand needed10 off last over. Nathan scored a brilliant boundary and a six to win a nail biting match.

Match Notes
* Sri Lanka: 50 runs in 9.2 overs, Extras 3
* M Jayawardene: 50 off 33 balls (4 x 4, 2 x 6)
* Sri Lanka: 100 runs in 15.1 overs, Extras 4
* Innings Break: Sri Lanka – 135/6 in 20.0 overs

* New Zealand: 50 runs in 7.1 overs, Extras 2
* New Zealand: 100 runs in 16.5 overs, Extras 2

Match 1 ICC T20 World Cup – Sri Lanka Vs New Zealand Scorecard